Today’s Scripture Reading (June 25, 2017):
Isaiah 49
Some years ago I watched a drama that
tried to tell the stories of those who were touched by the ministry of Jesus.
The story centered on the lives of these people after Jesus crucifixion. Filled with imagination, the author tried
desperately to tell the story of those who had been left behind to live out
their own lives in the shadow of the
cross. It was a mix of people who had absolutely nothing in common, other than
that they knew and were touched by the
life and death of Jesus Christ of Galilee. And one of the characters in the
drama was a man named Barabbas. It is interesting that the name Barabbas really means “Son of the Father.” It was a name
that Jesus, by his words and actions, claimed for himself. Jesus was actually the ultimate
Barabbas – the ultimate “Son of the Father.” But in the biblical story,
Barabbas is also the name of the murderer who was set free as a Passover Gift
to the people at the time of Jesus death. Both Jesus and Barabbas were offered to the people as that gift, but
the people chose the one who was “Son of the Father” by name rather than Jesus,
the one who was “Son of the Father” in deed.
During the drama, Barabbas struggles
with the idea that Jesus died in his stead. He was ready to die, proud to die
and feed the anti-Roman revolution with his last breath, but instead, he was allowed to live, and Jesus was chosen to die. The Barabbas
of the drama talked about that day, of following Jesus up the hill, watching
the nails being hammered into his hands, seeing the cross being lifted up and
watching this man hanging very literally in his place. Barabbas struggled to
hear the words that Jesus would utter, he hoped to hear Jesus curse the Romans
with his last breath, but that never happened. Barabbas was looking for the
nearest Roman guard intent on stealing his weapons and killing him and as many
others as he could before they finally killed him. He was ready to do it when
he heard the words “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are
doing.” Barabbas turned to look at the man dying on the cross. The words were addressed to the Father, but Jesus was
looking at the man called the “Son of the Father.” The words pierced him. And at that moment everything changed. Maybe
for the first time, the one called
Barabbas realized his own identity – that
he was the “Son of the Father.”
Barabbas left the hill that day along
with his former life. He decided to follow the one who lived out his name
better than he had ever lived it – the one who was really the “Son of the Father.” Not only did he follow him
spiritually, but on that day Barabbas became a carpenter. He admits that he is
not much of one, still learning the trade as it were, but he was content simply
being a carpenter and leaving the world of revolution.
And as Barabbas works, he sings a
song. The words for the song on Barabbas’s lips were from Isaiah 49 - Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will
have compassion on his afflicted ones. The
tune isn’t much, but the words speak it all.
Isaiah couldn’t
imagine a person who had been comforted and redeemed not wanting to sing – to
burst into song – about the one that had redeemed them; the one who had literally paid the
price to buy them back. And neither could Barabbas. He had been purchased for a price, the man that had
hung on the cross that day had paid for his life with his own. And now all
Barabbas wanted to do was to shout for joy.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50
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